At the National Rifle Association's 2000 annual meeting, President Charlton Heston criticizes the pro-gun control stance taken by the Democratic presidential candidate, Vice President Al Gore. In TV ads aired during the campaign, Heston lifts the musket and declares, “From my cold, dead hands, Mr. Gore.” During the 2000 elections, the NRA spent $20 million on so-called issue ads, which did not explicitly urge a vote against Gore, and thus did not count as expenditures subject to federal campaign laws. (AP Photo/Ric Feld)

The first major overhaul of campaign finance law in a generation just went into effect. The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act — the so-called McCain-Feingold law — bans “soft money,” the unregulated funds given to political parties by corporations, unions and wealthy donors. It also regulates funds raised for election-time radio and television advertising by corporations, unions or advocacy groups. A broad coalition of plaintiffs — political party organizations, corporate and labor interests and advocacy groups — say the law is an unconstitutional restriction on political speech and activity. A federal court is due to hear arguments on Dec. 4, in time for a final Supreme Court ruling by summer.